Overview of Renewables in the ERCOT System Julia Matevosyan
Lead Planning Engineer, Resource Adequacy Wind Integration Workshop Stockholm, October 2018
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What is ERCOT
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The interconnected electrical system serving most of Texas, with limited external connections • 90% of Texas electric
load; 75% of Texas land
• 73,308 MW peak demand, July 19, 2018
• 570+ generation units ERCOT connections to other grids
are limited to ~1,250 MW of direct current (DC) ties, which allow control over the flow of electricity
600 MW with SPP
30 MW with CFE at Eagle Pass
100 MW with CFE at Laredo 300 MW with CFE at McAllen
220 MW with SPP
Texas RE
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Wind Generation Capacity – September 2018
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Future outcomes uncertain
Installed Wind Capacity: 21,190 MW Wind Generation Record (instantaneous): • Output: 17,541 MW
‒ Feb. 19, 2018, 10:05 p.m.
• Penetration (load served): 54% ‒ Oct. 27, 2017, 4 a.m. ‒ Total Load = 28,416 MW
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Utility Scale Solar Generation Capacity – September 2018
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Future outcomes uncertain
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Changing Resource Capacity Mix: Variability + Flexibility
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Note: 2020 capacity numbers include planned projects with commercial operation date through 2020, as well as account for confirmed retirements and mothballs
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Before it all started…
Advantages: • Great wind & solar resources in the West and Panhandle regions
• Load Resources with underfrequency relays provided a portion of frequency containment reserve (at 59.7 Hz, full resp. in 0.5 second)
• All generators were required to provide governor response (5% droop, 36 mHz deadband)
• All generators were dispatchable on the market
Challenges: • Scarce or no transmission to renewable-rich areas
• Largest contingency to protect against is high compared to system size
• 15-minute, zonal market
• No experience with renewable forecasting and operation
• Uncertainty over essential reliability services.
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Competitive Renewable Energy Zone Transmission 2005-2013
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• Planning started in 2005
• Construction started in 2010
• Completed in January 2014
• Designed to serve 18.5 GW of wind resources
• ~3600 miles of 345 kV transmission
• Project cost: ~$6.9 billion
• Lines are open-access; use not limited to wind
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Wind Forecasting, 2009 - Present
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Centralized forecasting
Improving forecast accuracy
• Wind forecasting in use since 2009, initially 48-hour outlook
• Solar forecasting was introduced in 2015
• Currently, ERCOT uses a 168-hour rolling forecast with hourly resolution for all wind/solar resources.
• Average hour ahead wind forecast error is 3.35% in 2018
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Nodal energy Market, 5-min Real Time Dispatch, 2010
• Voluntary Day-Ahead Market, where Ancillary Services are procured, co-optimized with energy;
• Generators self-commit; ERCOT makes residual reliability commitments;
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• In Real-Time all generators (including renewables) submit offers for generation output
• Real-Time market clears every five minutes, using the cheapest generation to serve the load, subject to transmission constraints
• All generators (including renewables) receive output level instructions and locational marginal prices
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“Governor-like” response from Wind and Solar, 2012
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164
166
168
170
172
174
176
178
180
59,85
59,875
59,9
59,925
59,95
59,975
60
60,025
60,05
13:25 13:28 13:31 13:34 13:37 13:40
Wind Resource Response to Low Frequency 07/13/2016
Frequency Nominal Frequency MW
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90
100
110
120
130
140
59,925
59,944
59,963
59,981
60,000
60,019
60,038
60,056
60,075
16:13 16:16 16:19 16:22 16:25 16:28
Wind Resource Response to High Frequency 08/25/2015
Frequency Nominal Frequency MW
• Requirement for all wind and solar resources with interconnection agreements after 2008 to provide a “governor-like” response;
• To date, about 2000 MW of older plants are exempt;
• In 2016 the deadband for all generation changed to from 36 to 17 mHz
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Weak Grid Issues in Panhandle, 2014 - present
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• ~ 5.5 GW planned, ~4 GW in service (all wind generation)
• ~2.8 GW planned in the nearby area
• No local load or synchronous generators
• Voltage support and system strength issues
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Ancillary Services
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Regulation Up 157 to 687 MW*
Non-Spin 967 to 2,361 MW
Responsive
Regulation Down 156 to 604 MW
1.Primary Frequency Response
2.Load Resources on Under Frequency Relays (UFR)
2,300 to 3,200 MW
*The numbers are showing 2018 AS amounts
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Frequency Containment Reserve Based on Inertia Conditions and Load Participation, 2015
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Reliability Risk Desk, Situational Awareness, 2016
Inertia Monitoring and Forecasting
Critical Inertia alerts
Reserve Sufficiency Monitoring
Overall Capacity Availability Tool
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Current Framework
Proposed Ancillary Service Framework Changes, 2018
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NPRR 863 With STEC Comments (4/26, 8/2) and ERCOT Steel Suggestions
Load Resources on UFR
Primary Frequency Response (PFR)
Fast Frequency Response (FFR)
ERCOT Contingency Reserve Service (ECRS)
Load Resources may or may not be on UFR
10 minute ramp
Responsive Reserve Service
1. Primary Frequency Response
2. Load Resources on Under Frequency Relay (UFR)
3. 10 minute ramp
2,300 to 3,200 MW*
No Change Regulation Regulation
157 to 687 MW* 157 to 687 MW*
2,300 to 3,200 MW*
508 to 1,644 MW**
Responsive Reserve Service (RRS)
Non-Spin
Non-Spin 967 to 2,361 MW*
0 to 1,180 MW*
*Quantities computed/estimated using 2018 Ancillary Service Methodology. **Quantities estimated using this reference. For Discussion Purposes Only. The intent of this slide is to represent NPRR 863 (with ERCOT comments from 7/6/2018). Protocol language prevails to the extent of any inconsistency with this one page summary.
Overall A/S: 3,807 to 5,958 MW* Overall A/S: 3,807 to 5,958 MW*
Last Edited on /16/2018
FFR • Triggered at 59.85 Hz and full response in 15 cycles • Once deployed, sustain for up to 15 mins. Once recalled, restore within 15 mins
PFR • PFR capable capacity reserved on generators or Controllable Load Resources
(CLR) • Minimum 1,150 MW must be provided by resources capable of PFR
Load Resources on UFR • Triggered at 59.70 Hz and full response in 30 cycles • Sustain until recalled. Once recalled, restore within 3 hours • Beyond the minimum PFR, up to 60% of total FRS can come from Load
Resources on UFR or FFR.
Generation • Online or offline capacity that can be converted to energy within 10 minutes • Dispatched by SCED
Load Resources (UFR not required) • Up to 50% of ECRS capacity can come from Load Resources with or without UFR • Once deployed, must respond within 10 minutes. Restoration within 3 hours
No protocol changes. • Proposed methodology for Non-Spin Reserve Service quantities in this framework -
quantities computed using 2018 A/S Methodology are reduced by ECRS quantities.
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Key Takeaways
• System operators in areas with growing amounts of renewables face challenges with system balancing (uncertainty, ramping, variability, voltage and frequency control);
• Granular real-time dispatch and accurate forecasting is key;
• Real-time awareness tools in the control room are essential for efficient and reliable operations with high levels of renewable resources;
• Ancillary Services can satisfy essential reliability needs for the system – Use market-based solutions as much as possible
• Some of the reliability requirements need to be implemented through grid codes. Modern renewable generation technology can provide grid support and AS.
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Resolving integration issues increasingly requires ongoing coordination between grid/market operators, generation
owner/operators and turbine/control manufacturers